Trina's Triumph
by drawingtoaclose
Summary: Set 20 years into the future. In the middle of a long career, Trina Vega finally gets what she deserves. Written "article off the internet" style. Just a bit of Trina love!


**_notes from the drawing table: I've never watched a soap opera in my life so I'm have no idea where this story came from. Soap operas seem like a good place for Trina to land. _**

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**SoapsForeverdotcom**

Reported by: _Weepy Will_

June 16, 2034

The 61st annual **Daytime Emmy Awards** returned to **Radio City Music Hall** in New York City and it was full of surprises. The ceremony, which has shown resurgence in its televised ratings the past few years, ran smoothly, much to the relief of the event organizers. Last year's live broadcast, held at **Mandalay Bay Hotel** in Las Vegas, was marred by a power outage, several disruptions from the crowd and more than a few overly long acceptance speeches.

The biggest surprise of the night came when **Trina Vega** finally won her first Emmy after 14 nominations. **(Five **for** Outstanding Supporting Actress **and** nine **for** Outstanding Lead Actress**) Ms. Vega, who has starred for the past 18 seasons on the long-running soap, _**Sun Valley,**_ accepted the award in person.

The 42-year-old actress joined the show in 2016 when her character, the conniving and detestable **Natalia Boldin**, made her debut. Natalia was immediately despised by the viewers - so much so that campaigns to get rid of her caught fire on the now defunct **Facebook**, on the short-lived** Hey Yo!** and on the current preeminent social networking site, _**'Sup?**_ Fans on the venerable "**Twitter**" and on "**Shout It!**" quickly joined in. Although similar soap villains thrived since the early days, Vega's portrayal struck a raw nerve with the public. The show's producers didn't flinch. Natalia was written to be nastier and more unlikable than ever.

Despite the hate-filled campaign, ratings for _**Sun Valley**_ soared. The industry, which had been in decline for years, had a major rebound in popularity. New soaps (_**September Harvest, Mendocino, Capitol Gates**_) and others, found their way on to the air and quickly gained an audience. Copycat characters popped up on every show. There were even rumors that producers of rival soaps attempted to lure actress/singer **Tori Vega**, Trina's younger sister, away from her hit primetime show, _**New York Newsroom**_, where she starred for seven seasons.

All the negativity on the internet and throughout the social networking world, took its toll on Vega and her marriage. She threatened to quit if the producers did not allow the writers to tone down her character's irredeemable and reprehensible behavior. The show's creators, looking for fresh storylines, eventually granted Vega her wish. In a cliffhanger that rivaled the greatest in TV history, Natalia tragically "died" in a yachting accident to end season four. Trina/Natalia's future on the show was in doubt. Was the unconscious female body recovered from the wreck Natalia's or that of the always-unlucky Carmen? Would she be in a coma or permanently disfigured? Would Trina Vega even return as Natalia or would she be replaced by a "look-alike"? The debate raged unchecked on the 'Nets all during the show's hiatus.

Rival campaigns ("**Nasty Natalia Forever!**" and the heartless - "**Dead is DEAD!**") spawned thousands of comments. Viewers were kept waiting for months (which was unusual for soaps at that time) to see if Natalia was the lucky one to have miraculously survived the watery crash.

Anticipation was at an all-time high for the eight season opener. Crafty writers had the lucky survivor remain in a coma (with full head and face bandages) until she revived in the final scene. The soap world sat on the edge of its collective seat while the bandages were removed to reveal … *gasp* … _**Natalia/Trina**_**!** (Looking like she had just gotten out of the makeup chair – Of Course – it's a soap opera after all!) It seemed like the **NNF!** backers had won the battle. However, in a well-worn daytime drama twist, Natalia woke up from the trauma of the accident, believing she was **Tatyana**, her twin sister who had died when they were children. (Unlike in other soaps over the years, "Tatyana" was not a total fabrication - she had been mentioned in a short plotline during the shows fourth season.) Vega continues to play Tatyana to this day.

In a gamble that paid off for producers and sponsors, Vega was given free reign to entirely revamp her characters personality. She seized the opportunity with all the ardor and zeal she is known for in her personal life. Tatyana became everything that her "evil twin" was not: silly, happy-go-lucky, vivacious, and comedic. (Vega was discovered while performing her one-woman, off-Broadway comedy, _**Trina!**_ but was never allowed to display her comedic skills as the evil Natalia) Unlike in other countries, (Australia, the United Kingdom) comedy was seldom featured in American soaps. Vega, with her boundless energy and impeccable comic timing, changed all that. _**Sun Valley's**_ ratings skyrocketed as a result and it continues to be one of the highest rated soaps. (Once again, copycats followed including an entire show, _**Soap's Opera**_, which played out traditional soap storylines, entirely for laughs, and was canceled after two seasons.)

Despite the notoriety of her characters and her obvious influence on the renewed popularity of the genre, the Emmy continued to elude her. Lesser actresses, playing lesser characters, always came away with the top award. It was beginning to look like Trina Vega would equal or surpass the losing streak of _**All My Children**_ legend, **Susan Lucci**. (Lucci, who was known as _"Daytime's Leading Lady"_, received 18 nominations before finally winning in 1999. She received the **Lifetime Achievement Award** in 2020. The retired 88-year-old actress presented the award for **Outstanding Lead Actor** and received the longest and loudest ovation of the night.)

The ever-gracious and effervescent Vega, who never displayed any hint of disappointment when she lost in the past, looked shocked when her name was announced. In the show's most touching moment, Vega's 15 year old daughter, Sofia (currently starring in the 2nd season of **Nickeloedons's** _**Almost Always**_, created by her father and Trina's ex-husband, writer **Robert D. Shapiro**) snuck out from backstage to present the statuette to her unaware mother. Vega received a standing ovation while she and Sofia hugged and wept tears of joy. Clutching both the Emmy and Sofia tightly, Vega made a short and heartfelt acceptance speech that received another rousing ovation. Holding the statuette high overhead, Trina, and her equally zany and spitting image daughter, danced a crazy salsa/cha cha as they triumphantly exited the stage.

Next years ceremony is scheduled take place in Los Angeles at the newly renovated **Dorothy Chandler Pavilion**.

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**_under the table: trying to come up with names for the shows was fun. So is pondering the future!_**


End file.
